


The Stars May Not Align, but I'll Still Shine for You

by Interverse



Series: Cherryberry - Alternate Timelines [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Angst, Bittersweet Ending, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sad Ending, Undertale Monsters on the Surface
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 03:48:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17655503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interverse/pseuds/Interverse
Summary: "How do I know you won't forget me?""Because every time I look up at the night sky, I'll be reminded that you helped me touch the stars."





	The Stars May Not Align, but I'll Still Shine for You

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6NwtXmbQpU) song. I recommend that you listen to it, be it before, during, or after reading. It really is quite beautiful.

He might have screamed his questions of ‘ _why_ ’ out into the multiverse if every second he had left wasn’t worth more than could be comprehended. He could have reached directly into the fabric of reality to grasp its rules and shatter them, and he still couldn’t think of a way to describe how much he loved the other skeleton, even in a timeless plain. And so, he needed to feel the love being reciprocated for as long as he could before it was stolen from him.

 

His love lay in the bed they shared, looking more gaunt and helpless then he had ever seen them. He sat, and they slowly turned to look at him, then smiled despite all the things reaching into their life with iron claws and shaking them to their knees. **“I love you.”**

 

Tears rolled unchecked down his face.

 

_I love you too._

 

The bedridden monster weakly gestured up to the ceiling where an entourage of old, worn out stickers in the shapes of stars resided. **“Thank you.”**

 

He reached out, gently tracing the other monster’s face as he built up his strength to speak. He never wanted to forget what this felt like.

 

_For what?_

 

**“For getting me to the surface. I never would have gotten to see the stars without you.”**

 

He cupped one side of their face, running his thumb over the softness of their cheekbone and committing the moment to memory.

 

_You’re welcome, but I wouldn’t have bothered to try if you weren’t there with me._

 

His Soul cried out at the knowledge that this was soon to be no more.

 

**“I’m with you now, too. And I always will be. You’ll see.”**

 

_But I can only ever see stars when I think of you. They remind me of how beautiful you are._

 

His breath hitched when the weak, trembling hand of the monster he loved found its way to his, lacing their fingers together and squeezing with all the strength it could call its own.

 

**“What will remind you of me when I’m gone?”**

 

His Soul lurched so violently that he was convinced it would split his sternum in half in order to fall to the ground.

 

_Stop it._

 

He was ashamed of his tears. This was the last memory of his face he would leave his companion with. They deserved so much more… the sky, the stars, the world.

 

**“Then how do I know you won't forget me?”**

 

He took a deep breath.

 

_Because every time I look up at the night sky, I'll be reminded that you helped me touch the stars._

 

**“Touch me, then. I’ll be one of them soon.”**

 

He slowly slid from his seat, not letting his palm leave his love’s face, and leaned over them. He disentangled his second hand from the other’s, then placed it on the other side of their face, and held it as if it was the most valuable, most priceless thing in the world. It was.

 

With great effort, the weaker monster brought one of their hands up to grip at one of his wrists.

 

**“Do you know what my favorite thing is?”**

 

His tears tickled his cervical vertebrae as they ran down his face and onto his neck.

 

_Me?_

 

They had claimed that to be the case more times then he could count.

 

**“No. You are indeed my favorite, but you are so much more than a thing. My favorite _thing_ is this bed.”**

 

He didn’t know if he would ever be able to sleep in it again after tonight.

 

_Why?_

 

**“Because it has the most of you in it. This is where you’ve held me, loved me, promised me that you’d be with me until the end. It smells like you, it’s where I’ve felt you. It’s where I’ve been my happiest.”**

 

He choked down a sob so as not to make his love’s last moments uncomfortable.

 

_Me too._

 

**“So you know what that means, right?”**

 

He was not willing to ponder it. He needed to experience this beautiful, perfect monster for as long as he possibly could.

 

**“This bed is my favorite thing, so when I’m gone, leave my dust here.”**

 

He nearly threw up.

 

_You can’t ask me that._

 

**“Please; you know it won’t stay there forever. Monsters have never been the best at being permanent.”**

 

His mouth tasted like metal.

 

_Okay. If that’s what you want._

 

**“It is.”**

 

He could tell they were in pain. Behind the calmness of their voice and serene sheen over their eyelights was a plea for absolution from their physical form. Unfortunately, some wishes come true.

 

_Is there anything else you want?_

 

**“Kiss me.”**

 

He drew a single, shuddering breath, then closed the gap between them and pressed their mouths together. He breathed them in, feeling everything that they were and promising himself he’d never love them any less than he did right now and had for as long as he cared to remember.

 

He pulled back much sooner than he would have liked in favor of choking down another sob, but just barely, remaining close enough to feel the weakness of his partner’s breaths against his mouth.

 

They reached up and wrapped their arms around his shoulders, pulling him down with the little effort they could offer and pressing a soft kiss to his temple that he was sure he would be able to feel for the rest of time.

 

**“I love you.”**

 

What if he forgot what those words sounded like?

 

_I love you too._

 

**“Soon.”**

 

He didn’t speak. He didn’t know if he could.

 

**“I need you to promise me something.”**

 

Their scent filled his nasal cavity. It was all he could sense, and all he wanted to. What if he forgot what they smelled like?

 

_Anything._

 

**“Don’t stop loving the stars. I know they won’t stop loving you.”**

 

If they loved him, why were they taking the one he loved away from him?

 

_I promise, but only because you’ll be among them. I could never fail to love anything you’re a part of._

 

**“I’ll stay with you.”**

 

_Please, don’t go. I don’t think I want to live in a world without you._

 

**“I’ll still be here.”**

 

He was shaking now, every bone in his body cowering at the thought of being left behind.

 

_I won’t let you leave me. I’ll go searching in the stars and once I’ve found you, I’ll never let a single night pass where I don’t stare back up at you and prove to you how much I care._

 

**“There are a lot of stars, but I’ll wait until all of the other ones have gone dark if I need to.”**

 

_I need you to promise me something._

 

Their voice was growing quieter with every word.

 

**“Anything.”**

 

_No matter what happens, don’t lose the light you’ve always had._

 

They turned their head and whispered into the side of his skull, the warmth of their breaths sending little tremors down his spine.

 

**“The stars may not align, but I’ll still shine for you.”**

 

And they simply ceased to be.

 

He sunk down into the mattress without their body beneath his, tears streaming down his face and soaking into the softness of the bed he had loved them in for so long.

 

The sun rose and set again before he was able to leave his spot.

 

He slowly made his way through the house they had shared, haunted with memories that tasted bittersweet on his tongue when he made the effort to recall them.

 

He stepped outside, and filled his body with the cold night air before turning his face skyward. He placed a hand over his sternum, feeling his Soul pulse as the stars playfully twinkled down at him. They seemed happy.

 

Brilliant cyan tears spilled over at the knowledge that the monster he loved had finally found his peace.

 

_I’ll shine for you too, Red._

**Author's Note:**

> Tears? I cried... a lot while writing this.
> 
> I don't know how I did, but I hope the emotions got through well enough.


End file.
